Midnight
by Just-AWESOME-old-me
Summary: She didn't know his name, he wouldn't give it to her. He was hiding something, something big. The mystery of the boy of the night coupled with going to an unfamiliar high school? This was going to be the most interesting year of Zelda's life.
1. Chapter 1

**Midnight: Chapter one**

**Posted on 2/17/2019, 9 pm, EST**

**Full A/N at the bottom! :)**

* * *

The night was glowing, the moon full, beautiful, and bright, the stars twinkling above, piercing the blackness of the sky in a contrast that just took her breath away-she could feel the night air gently touch her skin. She breathed and leaned out her window just a bit more, her hair tickling her shoulders as it fell by her hands, which were clasps in front of her suspended in the air.

It was beautiful here. From what little she had seen, she was already amazed at how wild this little town was, at least compared to the limited view she had of nature in the city. This was the first time she's seen the night sky in this way, with blues and purples, and bright stars. She shifted, and rested her head onto her hand, changing her gaze from the sky above to the ground below, to the huge apple trees, petite and elegant flora, gardens full of bountiful melons and veggies.

The smell of it all is what amazed her the most. The city mostly smelt the same year-round; however, this was different. She could smell what must have been a bonfire, or cookout, and with that, she could smell the overgrowth and the pollen in the air, and everything she sensed just began to come together to make a scent that no candle could possibly replicate-one that screamed of summer, of July.

Letting out a small huff, she shifted away from the window to look towards her clock. The green neon lights glared at her, reading _3:08 am_. Although the scenery was most certainly welcome, she did miss some things of the city, one of them being the cars. It was so quiet out here; all that she could hear was the faint sounds of nature, and strangely that's what was keeping her up. She needed the sound of engines roaring outside, of motorcycles speeding down the highway, of wheels scraping the streets . . . she couldn't sleep with no noise.

Drumming her figures on the window sill, she rested her head to the wall behind her, staring at the ceiling. Seconds felt like minutes, and making up her mind she sat up from her spot and moved to her closet, pulling out a pair of sandals. Slipping them on, she moved back to the window, heart pounding wildly out of her chest. She was about to do something she never dreamed of ever doing.

She pushed her leg out the window, then the other, and dropped to the garage roof. Grinning, she stood and ran to the apple tree, and climbed down to the garden. She glanced back, eyes running over her father's window.

Eh, it's not a city. She had nothing to worry about.

With a laugh and a wave goodbye, she ran into the town, ready for some exploration. She'd be back before sundown.

* * *

Breathless, she came to a stop by the lake. It was absolutely gorgeous; the moon's light bouncing off the waves in streams; the stars above swam with the fish. _I wonder if Hylian Loaches are found here?_

Wood boards creaked as her sand-caked sandals found their way to the pier, her fingers unstrapping them once she got to the water's edge. She sat, placing them by her side, and sank her toes into the cool water, sighing.

_This is by far the craziest thing I've ever done._

Kicking her feet, she sat there in silence, letting the moon, the stars above, and the dancing firefly light guide her eyes to the beauty of the country. It was this beauty however, that distracted her from the steps that followed hers. Until the pier creaked, breaking her daze.

She gasped and whipped around, water jumping around her, eyes wildly searching the area, immediately falling onto the person standing behind her. He was male, she could tell by his figure, dressed completely in black, with a black hoodie covering his face. She could only see of him the tip of his nose and a small frown.

"Can I help you?" she asked carefully, slowly placing her feet on the pier, eyeing the stranger. He opened his mouth but immediately closed it again, pressing his lips together. She slowly stood and planned out routes of escape discreetly _(hopefully)_. Silence, no more words were exchanged. The man suddenly took a step forward, opening his mouth, but before he could let out a word she flinched and gasped, her stomach dropping. Time slowed down, as her vision shifted up, up, the ground below her heels seemingly ripped from under her.

A shock ran through her, forming at her back and raging through her body down to her toes and up to her skull, making her light-headed. Her clenched eyes flew open, only to meet blue. Cobalt blue.

He gently placed her back onto her feet, his face once again covered in shadows before she could distinguish anything else about him. He was biting his lip hard, and she was shocked to see him drawing blood. "I-I'm sorry," he whispered in a voice so quiet she almost thought she imagined it. He took slowly took a few steps back, then turned and ran away, across the rickety pier.

Her hands were shaking-_goddesses were they shaking_-and she opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a struggled wheeze. What would've she said? She didn't know. All she could do is watch helplessly as the boy of the night disappeared into the trees.

* * *

"It was absolutely _gorgeous, _Malon! The moon and stars reflecting in the soft water were breathtaking, oh and the _trees!_ They were big and bushy and swaying in the soft breeze. Did I mention how I love the air here? Oh, and the surrounding nature created this _beautiful _orchestral piece-!"

"Yeah yeah I get it, Zel, it was pretty."

Zelda signed, relaxing into her chair, a sweet smile on her face, and said, "You should really come with me next time, it was exhilarating."

Malon took a sip from her straw. "And almost get kidnapped? No thank you," Malon said. She took a sip from her straw, staring at Zelda. "That's your cue to start talking and the man you mentioned earlier."

Zelda sighed, and slumped in her seat, clanking the ice cubes in her glass with her straw. "The boy was about my height, I believe slightly taller. I'm not sure, my night was a blur after that," said Zelda, who then looked up to Malon, and continued: "I was absolutely terrified he was going to do something horrible to me."

"Which is strange," said Malon, "because I know everyone in this town, and no one would do _anything_ like that. Maybe he was a traveler?"

Zelda looked across the street, to the other cute small shops and people walking by. ". . . Maybe. He did something weird though."

"What?"

"He caught me."

Malon blinked. "Caught . . . you?"

"I fell," Zelda explained, hugging herself. "Or I almost did. I tripped and almost landed into the lake, but the boy caught me before I could. He set me down and ran off afterward." Zelda sighed, and sat up, staring Malon in the eyes, "That boy had me completely vulnerable, he easily could've overpowered me and done who knows what. But he didn't."

"I don't understand though," Malon said, "You're _Zelda Hyrule_. You don't just fall. You're the picture of grace! And speaking of that, we've taken self-defense classes together. Why didn't you defend yourself?"

Zelda shook her head. "You're not going to believe me. You're going to call me crazy."

"Hey," Malon exclaimed, grabbing Zelda's hand, squeezing it, "best friends for life, right? I'd trust you with my life."

Zelda clasped Malon's hand, once more staring at the people across the street. ". . . I know him."

"You know who?"

"I know the boy. The boy I saw at the lake. I've known him longer than I've known myself."

"You do? What's his name?"

"I don't know." Zelda burst into tears, and tore her hands from Malon's, covering her face. Zelda felt Malon take her away, and when she opened her eyes they were in the bathroom, and Malon was handing her paper towels. Zelda tried to collect herself.

"Was he a childhood friend?" Malon said, hesitating.

Zelda shook her head but kept her mouth shut. She felt that if she opened her mouth, she would fall apart. Malon approached Zelda and hugged her. They stayed like this for a while, until Zelda finally whispered, "I feel I know him. My heart, it aches now that he's not by, and I don't know why." Zelda squeezed Malon tighter. "Because you're right Malon; he is a complete stranger. But when he held me in his arms, and I saw his face, I recognized him." She separated herself from Malon, then pointed to her own heart. "In here."

Malon frowned. "What did he look like?"

Zelda shook her head, closing her eyes, and stammered, "I-I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Okay," Malon hesitated, "let's get you presentable then."

When Zelda's eyes dried they went back to their table, but Zelda wasn't in the mood to be out anymore. So they paid for their drinks and Malon walked Zelda home. They said their goodbyes and Zelda collapsed into her bed, utterly exhausted. She looked up at the neon lights, _4:00 pm_, and curled into herself under her covers, flashes of blue hurting her heart.

"Zelda." She blinked and peered from her covered fortress to the doorway. Her father stood, one hand on the doorknob, the other on the light switch. "Were you sleeping?"

"No?" she said, confused. Zelda looked back at her alarm, and the numbers read _7:28 pm_. ". . . Maybe?" she corrected, smiling sheepishly at her father.

Her father walked up to her and ruffled her hair, and sat on the bed beside her. "Dinner's getting cold as we speak." Zelda sat up and hugged her father.

"Father?"

"Yes, Darling?"

"Did I ever befriend a boy when I was younger?" Zelda mumbled into his shoulder.

"A boy?" her father asked.

"I only asked because I briefly saw one when I was out with Malon." Zelda said, "He looked familiar."

"What did he look like?" her father said, rocking her softly back and forth.

Zelda shook her head. "He had a hood up, so I wasn't able to distinguish much, but he had blue eyes." Zelda looked up to her father. "Please, Father, do you remember anything?" she pleaded.

He rubbed his beard, a thoughtful look on his face. "I don't remember any boys with blue eyes. You didn't have many friends when you were smaller, so I believe I'd remember if you were friends; however," he smiled at her, "if you ever see this boy out in public be sure to point him out to me. It may jog my memory." Zelda brightened. "Thank you, Father. I love you."

"I love you too, Sweetheart, but if we don't go downstairs now, I may have to revoke that statement."

"Sir yes, sir!"

* * *

**A/N: Hello! My name is Just-AWESOME-old-me, Awesome for short, and welcome! ^^ I started this little project a while ago, and it's been collecting dust in my documents, haha. The goal was simple for this story: write to write, and don't over think.**

**I then proceeded to over think hEH. XD Part of this chapter was written back in 2017 actually, haha. Whoops. :3**

**Anyways haha, I'm asking you to keep in mind that this is a light-hearted, fluffy, generic fic. wELL, there will be talk of some heavy themes, so not entirely light-hearted? Anyways, the outcomes will most likely be obvious, haha, though I do hope some things are unexpected. There will be mistakes everywhere too, haha. If you wish to criticize me, firstly thank you, and secondly, I ask that you don't focus too much on the obvious mistakes or on plot points, but on how I write. Like if I use certain words a lot, or if I'm explaining something too in depth, etc. I hope that made sense.**

**Also, I didn't put much thought into the title. Before this the story was labeled "AU Story" haha.**

**Thank you so much for reading my ramblings, and I hope you stick around! :D**

**~Me**

**P.S wHat cAn i cALL zELdA'S faThEr? XDD It's so annoying to repeat "her father" over and over again, but like? The POV is in third person, so to just call him "father" I feel would be weird? Any thoughts? XD**


	2. Chapter 2

**Midnight: Chapter 2**

**Posted on 2/18/2019, 1 pm EST**

* * *

_2:43 am_. Zelda groaned, and sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes. It seems her exhaustion allowed her to sleep a little, but she doubted it would allow her any more.

A flash of blue came back in her mind and Zelda blinked, then hugged herself. _That too._

Honestly, it was downright obsessive. And dangerous. This man was a complete and utter stranger, her father even said so. To familiarize himself into her mind like this could get her killed.

So then, why did my heart continue to ache?

Waves of the duvet came up and crash down as Zelda shoved them aside and places her feet on the floor. She walked to her window seat, sat amongst the pillows and blankets, and stared out into her father's garden. She leaned her head against the cool glass, curling up into herself once more.

His voice. That's something she's failed to mention to anyone yet. When his vibrations reached her, it felt like her whole world was shaking. She could _feel_ the _pain_ in his voice. _How?_ How could she do this? Is she imagining all this? Pushing her twisted fantasies on this man?_ I may have to talk to my father about counseling._

Zelda swallowed, her mind briefly going back to when he held her, but she shook it off. This man isn't a friend. She doesn't know him, no matter what her damned heart told her. It doesn't matter that he saved her from a watery grave. It doesn't matter that he apologized to her. It doesn't matter that he ran off afterward. This does not prove his purity and it absolutely does not prove their friendship.

Zelda paused, and looked back out into the night. The stars were bright, the moon full, a gentle summer breeze caressed the many plants of the garden, making them sway. It was another gorgeous night.

So, it wouldn't hurt to go out again, right?

She sat there, pondering this, staring out into the night, ignoring the cobalt eyes in her mind. She's not going out for _him_, she's going out to see the town. Zelda nodded to herself, and eyed her closet.

If she was going out, she needed to be prepared.

Pulling herself up, she stepped to her closet and pulled out comfortable clothes to change into and her sneakers. Undressing and redressing, she tied her laces and made her bed, placing her night gown folded at the foot, and opened her window. Repeating the motions she made the day before, she reached the ground; however, Zelda didn't turn back this time.

Her feet pounded the ground, her breathes harsh, her hands clenched, as she ran to the lake. She didn't want to think about why she ran. She just ran.

The pier protested under her feet and she stopped, out of breath. The lake was just as gorgeous today as it was yesterday, she was sure the crickets and night owls were out as well, but the pounding in her ears wouldn't allow her to hear their song. She let out a breath, and sat criss cross applesauce on the aged wood, chin resting on her hand. She tried to take in the beauty of the night.

But her heart wouldn't stop pounding. Zelda frowned, and lifted her chin from her hand. An uncomfortable feeling settled in her gut, and she turned around, examining the trees behind her. But she didn't see any movement.

Standing up, she made a decision. Well, I couldn't possibly enjoy my time thinking someone's going to jump out of the woods. Thus, she dusted herself off and walked off the pier.

She searched the lake until the sun peaked on the horizon, and the morning birds began to chip. But she never saw anyone.

* * *

"You look like you've seen better nights," her father said.

The fork dinged as it made contact with her plate, and she looked up. "You could say that again."

Her father hummed. "It'll get easier, pumkin. Do you have anything else on your mind?"

"Why?"

"You seemed troubled."

Zelda paused, and briefly thought about asking for consoling. ". . . I'm just worried about school."

Her father's eyes brightened. "Oh! That reminds me, yesterday at the store I ran into Uli."

Zelda smiled, thinking back to distant childhood memories. "Ahh, how's her baby? What was his name . . . ?"

"Colin," her father replied, "he's transitioning to 6th grade this year."

"Oh wow!" Zelda gaped.

"But that's not what I wish to discuss," her father said, leaning forward in his chair. "I told her about your worries with school-"

_"Father!"_

"Relax, Sweetie," her father laughed, "it really is quite normal to feel how you feel." She pouted, and he smiled, picking up his fork. "She said that the marching band is in desperate need of participants." Her father took a bite of his food and swallowed. "I think it'd be a great way to meet new people."

Zelda frowned. "Marching band? The instruments I play wouldn't really be in a marching band."

Her father looked up from his plate. "Ahh, but your grace is. They have a section of the marching band that specializes in dancing." Her father grinned at her. "Plus they travel with the football team, and I believe the match between the new school and your old school is away-"

Zelda gasped. "So I could see all my old friends?"

"For a couple of hours, yes."

Zelda sat, completely stunned. She thought she'd never see them again.

Her father finished his plate, and said, "Practices start before the school year does, so you can familiarize yourself with the halls, and meet some kids you may have in your classes." He stood and collected both of their plates, and walked to the sink. "It'd also get you used to the school day, as practices are from eight to four, every weekday"

Zelda blinked. "Eight to four? Am to pm?"

Her father nodded. "They call it Band Camp. It might help you get your sleep schedule back on track too."

Zelda hesitated. "Every weekday?"

"For one and a half weeks, yes." Zelda bit her lip. Her father looked up to her from the sink. "Just think about it, okay? I need to get back to Uli by the end of the week though." Zelda nodded slowly, walked to the kitchen, grabbed a sponge, and began wiping the counters.

After the kitchen was clean, Zelda went upstairs to get dressed while her father went to the garden with his dorky sun hat. She shook her head, smiling, and changed into the clothes she just changed out of only hours ago. She collapsed on top of her bed, sighing, and stared at her ceiling blankly. Suddenly, she heard a vibration, and she looked back to see her phone, and she grabbed it and turned it on.

_hey whatcha up to?_ Her phone read. Zelda smiled, and unlocked her phone.

_Just ate breakfast, you?_

_just finished some deliveries, and papa paid me_

_Alright, little Ms. Hotshot, no need to brag._

_i cant help it ;p _

Zelda laughed, and hopped to her window, opening it, and yelled, "Father!" waving to him. Her father dropped his trowel and wiped his hands, looking up. "Can I hang out with Malon today?" she asked.

With a thumbs up from her father, Zelda bounced back to her bed and unlocked her phone, reading the new message.

_oh what am i to do with all this money? if only i had a friend to go out with me . . . :(_

Zelda quickly typed back a response. _Oh, the woes of being rich._

_its a blessing and a curse_

_I mean if you INSIST . . . ._

_oh i insist. :3 meet me at the ranch_

Zelda jumped from her bed to the floor, threw her phone into her bag, and slung it over her shoulders. She ran downstairs and out into the garden, surprising her father with a kiss.

"Going out?" her father smiled, noticing her bag.

"Yep, I'm going to Malon's."

"Have fun!" her father said and went back to gardening.

Zelda saluted him, then ran back to the garage, pulling out her bike. Hopping on, she grinned and paused, taking a moment to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin, to hear the sounds of nature, and the faint laughter in the distance of children.

She pushed on the pedals, and turned out from their driveway, and for the first time since she met him, Zelda didn't think of blue.

* * *

When Zelda came up to the ranch, she was hit with rushes of nostalgia. Before moving, whenever Zelda visited Malon, she and her father would stay here. It was her home away from home.

She leaned the bike against the barn's wall and walked to the small building to the left. Running her hands briefly against the old door, she opened it, and saw Malon sitting at the table, organizing her money into a familiar box.

"You still have that?" Zelda said, closing the door behind her.

Malon smiled. "How else could I organize my finances?" It was a box they made together when they were younger; or, Talon made it, but they decorated it, and took complete credit for it. It had compartments with crudely drawn rupees to indicate for specific bills to go into, and smaller compartments for change. Zelda almost forgot about it.

Malon wrote something on a piece of paper, then placed the paper over her money, closing and latching the box. She grabbed the handle and looked up to Zelda, smiling. "I have one more chores to do before we can do anything."

"Can I help?"

"Please do."

They went upstairs to put Malon's money away, then went out to the barn. Zelda warmly greeted Ingo, the latter sneering, and they made their way to the cucco's corner. Malon handed her a basket and they began _carefully_ collecting eggs. They worked in comfortable silence, poking fun at one another occasionally.

Malon broke this by asking, "Are you feeling better?"

Zelda turned to Malon, confused, and opened her mouth but then remembered the events of yesterday. She closed it, and softly nodded, going back to work.

Malon frowned. "Well, if you ever want to talk about it again, don't be a stranger." Malon placed an egg in her basket. "What'd you eat for breakfast?"

Zelda gestured to her basket, and Malon gasped. "_Shhh!_ Not around the coccos!" They laughed, and fell back into their routine.

Once they were done, they gave the eggs to Ingo, and went up to Malon's room. Zelda laid in Malon's bed as Malon picked out clothes to change into.

"What do you think of this?" Malon said, pulling out a dress. Silence. Malon turned to Zelda to see her staring at the ceiling. She put the dress back and walked to Zelda, snapping her fingers in front of her face. Zelda blinked. "Earth to Zelda? Do you read me?"

"Copy that." Zelda said, looking to Malon. "Sorry, what did you ask?"

"Eh?" Malon sat on the bed, looking up. "Not important. What were you thinking about?"

Zelda sighed. "Do you know anything about the marching band?"

Malon gasped, her eyes twinkling. "Yes! There's this _really_ cute boy in it!" Zelda laughed, and sat up. Malon scooched closer to her and took Zelda's hands. "He's absolutely to die for. He was my date to the eighth grade formal."

"Oh?" Zelda smiled, squeezing Malon's hands. "Are you guys a thing?"

Malon deflated somewhat. "No, he's my friend." She chuckled, and smiled sheepishly at Zelda. "I asked him out to that dance, and he told me he didn't feel that way to me," she said, "but that we could still go together. And things never got weird between us." Malon squealed, shaking Zelda's hands, "He is literally the sweetest boy you'll ever meet. I love him so much!"

"He sounds great," Zelda said, grinning. "Are you guys close?"

"Not as close as me and you." Malon smiled sweetly. "But he's probably my second closest friend." Malon gasped, her eyes shining. "I can introduce you two! You guys would get along great! We could be like, the three musketeers!"

Zelda's heart squeezed, and she smiled widely. "I'd love that!" A chance for another friend? Goddesses, she'd take that.

Malon hugged Zelda, then got up from her bed. "He's on vacation right now, but he'll be back in time for band camp-" Malon gasped. "Oh, right, marching band! You asked about it?"

Zelda shook her head. "It's okay, we don't have to talk about it."

"No, I want to!" Malon said. "Link said it's a lot of time and work, especially for beginners, but that it's really rewarding and a lot of fun!" She turned back to her closet. "The performances have a lot of energy, and the theme this year actually sounds really cool. Link couldn't stop talking about it," she sighed dreamily and glanced back to Zelda, laughing. "The band and drill instructors went to him for help because of his knowledge and enthusiasm about it actually."

"What's drill?"

"I'm not sure, it's something about the formations they make on the field."

Zelda closed her eyes, taking in all the information. "Why don't you join?"

"I would actually," said Malon, thoughtful, "but I'm so busy with the animals and deliveries-not to mention _school_" they both groaned, "-that I wouldn't have time to breath."

Zelda smiled, and moved to the foot of the bed. "Thanks, Malon, you've given me a lot to think about."

"Think about?" Malon asked, pulling a shirt from her closet. "Think about wha-oh you don't mean?"

"Oh, I mean."

"You should _so _do it Zelda!" Malon exclaimed, jumping a bit. "You'd be great at it! You'd be signing up for the color guard section right?"

"Color guard?"

"Like, the dancing."

"Oh, yep." Zelda nodded.

Malon squealed. "Football games are going to be so much fun with you! Not that you have to join the marching band to come with me."

Zelda blinked. "You go to the football games?"

"I know," Malon said. "They're _so_ boring. I go for the band."

"You mean for that boy?" Zelda smiled widely.

Malon looked at Zelda coyly. _"Maybe?"_

Zelda laughed and gestured with her hands. "Hurry up and get dressed, we're wasting daylight."

Malon winked and pulled out a pair of pants. "What do you think of this outfit?"

* * *

**A/N: What can I say? I was inspired. XDD Thank you all so much for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing! You're making my day. :')**

**I'm not sure what the upload schedule is going to look like yet? I can't guarantee you'll get an update every day, but I CAN guarantee at least once a week. I had off from school today, which is why I was able to pump this out, haha. **

**Anyways! mArChinG bAnd eH? hMm. I wonder who if she'll join? XDD If she does, i WondEr wHo sHe'LL mEeT? **

**Thank you all once again! I'll see you in a little while! :D**

**~Me**

**P.S I hope there are no mistakes hugafbkjhfefabaajh. FF doesn't like keeping my italics. XD **


	3. Chapter 3

**Midnight: Chapter Three**

**Posted on 2/24/2019, at 11 pm EST**

* * *

In town, Zelda and Malon went to a few shops and got ice cream at a local spot. Currently, they were riding on their bikes, laughing, their recent purchases in the bags on their backs.

"I'll race you to the lake!" said Malon, a glint in her eyes.

Before Zelda could confirm or deny, Malon sped off, leaves Zelda in the dust. "Not fair!" she yelled and biked after her.

Of course, Malon won, earning a dirty look from Zelda. She waved her off, and she and Zelda locked their bikes by the bathroom. Malon grabbed Zelda's hand and dragged her to the water.

The mood felt different during the day than at night. Now, there were children in the water, laughing and splashing, tackling one another and screeching. Parents sat on towels and blankets, watching their children, reading, and sunbathing. Miraculously, the pier where she sat previous nights was empty, and Malon brought her there. Malon kicked off her sandals and sat down, hanging her feet off the edge, and patted the spot next to her. Zelda followed suit, settling in next to her, and they sat in comfortable silence.

Zelda took the opportunity to think back on what Malon said earlier. _Marching band . . . it honestly sounds like a lot of fun._ Of course, she knew close to nothing about it; she never went to football games in her previous high school, so she's never even seen a performance. And it's been a while since she's done something with dancing. This could get her back into the grove. Not to mention the benefit of some of her classmates before school starts, and becoming familiar with the building and the halls. Still, it wouldn't be smart to join with no prior knowledge. She'd have to do a bit more research when she got back home-

"So, this is where you saw that boy, correct?" Zelda blinked, and looked over to Malon, who was looking at her expectedly . . . maybe worriedly?

Zelda hesitated, glancing at the people around them. ". . . yes?"

"And you almost fell right here?" Malon asked, pointing to the water their feet were in. Zelda looked down and nodded. "Zelda . . ." Malon's face paled as she stared into the water below.

"Malon . . . ?" Malon suddenly pushed herself into the water, but she didn't sink. The water went to about her shins. Zelda was about to ask what she was doing when she stopped. And stared at the water level. She felt her stomach drop.

"Zel . . . if that boy didn't catch you . . . ."

_No, it can't be-_

". . . I don't know if you'd be here now."

Absolute silence. Zelda couldn't even hear the kids laughing anymore. She felt . . . numb, staring down as Malon's legs. At the water level.

She was suddenly transported back to that night. Falling, hands outstretched, mouth agape, screams silent, floor ripped from underneath her. Falling, falling, falling. A flash of black. Stopping. _Lightning_, from her back, raging across her skin down to her toes and up to her head. She was lightheaded. She opened her eyes to see blue. The bluest blue she'd ever seen. _Cobalt. _It was endless, deep, consuming, dashes of lighter shades and darker shades fighting for control. She was drowning in them, in the colors. She . . . recognized them? His arms tightened around her, making her dizzy, and then there was nothing. He spoke words she was only able to distinguish later, vibrations echoing in her head. And then he ran.

"Zelda?!" Zelda looked up, to find Malon staring her into the eyes, her hands gripping Zelda's arms so tightly it almost hurt. "Are you okay? You're pale . . ."

Zelda pulled Malon into a hug and tried to fight back her tears. "Malon, _oh, Malon_, it's not the first time."

Malon squeezed her back. "Not the first time? Not the first time you almost died?"

"No, not the first time he saved me." Zelda clenched her fists and whimpered. "Oh Malon, please believe me. Please don't call me crazy. I'm so sorry."

"Let's get you out of this sun."

"Malon-"

"_Now."_ Malon pulled Zelda off the pier and into the water and walked her to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, Malon let go of Zelda and went to grab some paper towel. Zelda whimpered, and hugged herself, trying to stop her shaking hands.

"I know it sounds crazy, but Malon please-"

"Zelda I believe you." Zelda flinched and looked up. Malon stared at her, eyes digging into her own.

"How . . . how could you believe me?"

"Because I've felt it too." Zelda froze, her mouth agape. Malon's eyes burned through her. "I'm not saying you should trust this man, I would certainly use caution, but if you're feeling this way . . . then I have to believe you."

"Malon-"

"I want you to find this boy," Malon said, interrupting, "and I want you to acquaint yourself. Get to know him." Malon paused. "And bring a knife if it's at night. I believe I have a spare I can loan you back home."

Zelda felt her eyes burn. "Malon, I can't thank you enough for understanding-"

"And don't spare me any details."

Zelda gave a soft chuckle and wiped her eyes. "I would never."

"Good. Now stop being so emotional, it's weirding me out."

"Haven't I always been emotional?"

"During movies, yeah, but you don't burst into tears _every day._"

Zelda gave a weak smile. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

When Zelda got home, she took off her shoes and held them in her hand, then looked around. _Silence_. Carefully, she tiptoed her way to the steps, and slowly walked up them-

"Are you trying to avoid me, Zelda?"

She flinched and relaxed from her tensed stance, sighing. "Yes, Father."

She heard him shuffle. ". . . Wow. I wasn't expecting honesty."

"You should expect the unexpected."

"Wise words, Angel. I should heed by them more."

Silence. Zelda knew what he wanted, but she couldn't face him. Not when her eyes were red.

". . . I wish to retire, Father."

She heard him shift, and she tensed slightly. "Do I at least get a hug?"

"You get two tomorrow."

A pause. "Make it four, and I'll let you go."

Zelda smiled to herself, and said, "As you wish, Father." She started walking back up the stairs, and yelled, "I love you!"

"I love you too, Angel."

The guilt ate at Zelda as she turned the corner to go to her room, when she suddenly turned and yelled out, "Father?!"

A shuffled. "Yes, Darling?"

"I've decided that I wish to join the marching band."

"I'll tell Uli!" She could hear the smile in his voice. Zelda gulped. What did she just do to herself? Letting out a shaky breath, she turned and walked into her room, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

_1:23 am_. Zelda eyed her alarm clock from her window seat, sneakers already tied. She fiddled with the pocket knife Malon gave her, her chest tight.

This would be the third time she's ever sneaked out of the house, and she was ashamed to admit it was getting easier. Zelda closed her eyes, and imagined her father, walking into her room, only to find the bed empty, his only family gone. Great Goddesses Above, she'd give him a heart attack.

She wasn't supposed to make this a regular habit. It was supposed to be a one-time event.

_This'll be the last night. I just need to find him and get his contact._

. . . But who's to say he's even awake right now? She'd be out there searching for nothing. And if he is awake? This town may not be as big as the city, but it certainly isn't small. How could she expect to find him?

A sharp pain erupted from her finger and Zelda gasped, ripped from her thoughts, and she clutched her hand close to her chest, eyes beginning to water. Holding back a sob, she slowly brought her hand in view. At the sight of the blood, Zelda felt woozy and immediately shut her eyes, fighting back nausea, trying to calm her breaths.

_The knife._ She cracked her eyes opened and found it on the floor, blade drawn. She must've cut herself.

Whimpering, Zelda stood and went to her bedside table. She grabbed tissues and trying to clean her hands without seeing anymore red. _I'm _such_ an idiot._ Zelda tried to stop her shaking hands and glanced towards her door. She couldn't go out of her room to the bathroom, she'd surely wake her father. Her heart fell deep into her gut, eyes burning. If he woke up, she couldn't go out to find that boy. Zelda threw away the tissues and grabbed more, applying pressure to her throbbing finger.

Taking a deep breath in, she looked down at her hands. _Red_. Fighting back another wave of nausea, she sat at the edge of her bed, eyes clenched shut. _You're okay, Zelda. Deep breathes. You're not dying_. Zelda took a deep breath in and opened her eyes. Seeing a discarded towel in her hamper, she got up and grabbed it, then wetted a corner of it with her drinking water. Discarding more used tissues, she wiped her hands.

Why was this boy more important than _properly dressing her wound?!_ Zelda shook her head, glancing around the room. She needed to find a temporary bandage. Spotting a hair band, she walked to it, and wrapped it around her thumb, staring at the ceiling. Taking a deep breath in, she looked down to her hand.

It looked . . . fine. Zelda sighed, relieved, and concentrated on tying her headband tight with only one hand. Finished, she examined her work, feeling quite proud of herself. That's the last time she'll _ever_ mess with knives. Zelda turned and glanced at the clock. _1:46 am._ She should get a move on.

Carefully she picked the knife off the ground and closed it, pocketing it. She undid the latches of her window one at a time, as she could only use one hand, and carefully made her way down to her driveway. Landing on her feet, she took a moment to calm her racing heart. Then, she began making her way to the lake.

What made this boy _so_ important? Why did it suddenly feel _pivotal_ for her to find him? Zelda almost had this . . . _urgency_ to her, like her life depended on finding him. The entire situation made Zelda's head spin. She's never been attached to an idea like this before.

The familiar creaking of the pier calmed Zelda, and she briefly examined the beauty of the lake. But the pounding in her ears wouldn't let her rest. She sighed and glanced around. But no one was here. Would tonight be a repeat of yesterday night?

He must not be here. And something told her it was unlikely that he'd show up sometime later. But that same feeling told her that he was out. And it was pulling her towards the woods.

Yeah right, she's not _stupid_.

. . .

_Great Goddesses Above, what is wrong with me?_

Zelda took out her knife, staring at the dark shadows of the trees. Taking a shaky breath in, fighting against her racing heart, she unfolded the blade and slowly crept into the woods.

* * *

**A/N:** **Thank you all so much for continuing to read this mess haha. XDD Zelda reacted a bit dramatically to that cut. I wonder what that's about . . . ? And why IS Zelda so set on finding this mysterious man? He saved her before . . . ? hMmMMM? XD**

**I want to apologize to you all, this chapter was practically done Thursday of last week! I went to do a little edit of it Friday after school, but my computer ran out of battery half way through editing. I was so upset about losing all that progress that I pushed off looking at it again until . . . well, now, haha. **

**This chapter was originally going to include the events of the woods, but the length was getting a bit long and I KNEW the scene in the woods will take a _while._ So that'll be the majority of the next chapter. _What's going to happen, I wonder? _XD**

**Also, a guest reviewed my last chapter! So I'll be replying to them here! To the rest of you, have a wonderful week, and I'll see you in the next update!**

**~Me**

**To guest reviewer Oracle of Hylia: oh no! XD I guess I wasn't being obvious enough haha. Malon DOES have a crush on Link, but Link DOES NOT reciprocate her feelings. So no love triangles here! nOt sAyInG zELdA aNd LiNk wILL bE a tHinG! *stares at pairing on story* hA, nO sPoILErS hErE! X3**


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